Information for Homeowners
Whether you’re a Shared Owner, a 100% leaseholder or freeholder (you own your home outright) this section is home to lots of useful information for you.
Defect Period
After moving into your new home, there's a defect period. During this, Love Living Homes, as your landlord, is responsible for raising any issues arising from the construction process to the main contractor, who is responsible for rectifying the issues raised.
This period typically lasts for a year, but can vary depending on your lease and any modifications to the home without prior consent may affect this warranty.
Moving into your new shared ownership home in Kent and Sussex is an exciting milestone. Everything is fresh, modern and ready to make your own. But as with any new build, it’s normal to spot a few quirks in the early days — a cupboard door that doesn’t close quite right, a patch of sealant that needs tidying, or a tap that drips overnight. That’s where understanding the difference between a defect and general maintenance becomes important.
Many shared owners assume that reporting any issue during their first year is similar to living in a rented home, where the landlord is responsible for most repairs. However, shared ownership is a form of homeownership, which means you are responsible for looking after your property — unless the issue falls under warranty.
We appreciate that when something isn’t right in your new home, you want it resolved quickly. However, as repairs are carried out by the developer’s contractors, appointments and scheduling are dependent on their availability and timescales.
While we can’t control contractor diaries or response times, we can:
- Make sure your case is logged correctly
- Follow up when work is overdue
- Keep communication clear and organised
- Escalate with the developer where needed
We know it can be tempting to “get someone in quickly” — but please do not instruct your own contractor to carry out defect repairs. Doing so may void your warranty, and LLH will not reimburse any costs for works arranged independently. Even if you believe an issue is urgent, please contact us first so we can assess the situation and advise on the correct process.
If you find a defect/snags, use the form below to log this with the New Build Defect team. If you do not hear from them within 5 working days, please email aftercareLLH@Lovelivinghomes.co.uk.
If the reported items are covered, the New Build Defect team or main contractor will be in touch to arrange work to rectify these.
Report a defect form
Our Response Times
Our Homes Team
Once you have sent us an enquiry we will:
- Always send an acknowledgment of your initial query within 2 working days of receipt
- Aim to answer all queries within 5 - 10 working days of when we have received them
- Always communicate in clear and simple language, tailoring our communication to meet your preferences and any support needs
- Clearly identify ourselves during all methods of contact
Response time update - June 2026
Our advertised response time for resident queries is five working days. We're currently receiving a larger than usual number of resident queries, which means we may take a little longer to get back to you. We're sorry for this. If you've already called and the issue has become more urgent, please do let us know.
Our response time for emergency Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) cases is 24-hours. For non-emergency queries we'll get back to you within five days, or sooner if we can. To support us in managing to prioritise contact, please provide as much information to us as possible.
Our New Build Defect Team
The defect being reported shall be classified according to the following:
- Priority 1: Emergency defects that are life-threatening; cause a loss of essential facilities; affect the security of its occupants; affect the immediate health of the residents; will lead to severe property damage if unattended.
- Priority 2: Urgent defects that could lead to a loss of essential facilities and may become life-threatening if left to deteriorate further or cause serious inconvenience to the residents or neighbours; will lead to damage to the property if unattended.
- Priority 3: Routine defects, which can be deferred without causing serious inconvenience to the residents or the surrounding neighbours.
- Priority 4: Minor defects, which can be left until the end of the defect liability period without causing inconvenience to the residents or neighbours.
| Priority | Category | Timing | Defect Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emergency Repairs | 8 hours |
A sudden and unforeseen incident creating an immediate risk to health or rendering the property uninhabitable, insecure, or dangerous.
|
| 2 | Urgent | 5 days |
|
| 3 | Routine | 30 days |
|
| 4 | Minor | End of defect period |
|